Gotukola salad

Gotukola salad is Sri Lanka’s version of a tabbouleh. A fresh, colorful, herby goodness that’s packed with both flavor and nutrients. This medley of finely sliced green herby gotukola leaves was the only green leaf salads that I ate without complaining even as a kid.

A firm favorite to this date, this dish perfectly complements any traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry meal and pleases both the eye and the palate. It adds a splash of green to the plate and a fresh, tangy, savory and ever so slightly bitter taste to the palate.

Known as pennywort in the western world, gotukola is packed with vitamins and nutrients and is predominately used in South Asian cuisine. It is one of the most widely available and a well-loved green herbs in Sri Lankan cuisine and salad form is the most popular way to consume it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Gotukola leaves
• 1 Small onion, chopped
• 1 Small tomato, chopped
• 1 Green chili, chopped
• ½ Cup of freshly grated coconut
• 1 Small carrot, finely shredded (optional)
• 1 Tbsp maldive fish (optional)
• Salt & lime

How to:

• First and most importantly pluck out the leafy part and about 1-2 inches of the stalk off the gotukola . Wash well with salt and water. The reason for washing these with salt water is to remove any impurities that may be present in the leaves. My mom did it and I do as I am told.

• Then take about three leaves, place one on top of the other and roll into a tight bundle and sliced them as finely as you can.

• Once all the leaves are finely sliced, add this into a large bowl together with the chopped onions, tomatoes and green chilies. If you wish to add another dimension of color, texture and nutrients you can add in a handful of finely shredded carrots and maldive fish chips.

• Next season this with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime and mix well.

And there you have a fresh, healthy and easy salad that’s bursting with flavors. It’s perfect to be served with a typical Sri Lankan rice and curry meal and I have even come to love this as a salad on its own.

Below are some rice and curry combinations for which gotukola salad was a perfect sidekick.

Red rice, dried fish (karola) curry, red lentil (parippu) curry, boiled eggs, papadam and gotukola salad.

 

Red rice, breadfruit and spinach curry, beef curry, papadam and gotukola salad.